Suspension clip



J. H. MURPHY SUSPENSION CLIP Filed Nov. 4, 1927 INVENTOR vi a/JAM z/ BY ZJ7V ATTORNEY Patented Get. 16, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,687,581 PATENT OFF-ICE.

v JOSEPH H. MURPHY, F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

SUSPENSION our.

Application filed November 4, 1927. Serial No. 230,981.

This invention relates, generally, to improvements in suspension clips for general use in suspending sheet material and the like, but is especially adapted forthe suspension of photographic films after development of the same and to permit the drying thereof.

This invention has for its principal object to provide a simple two-piece clip which may be'made of sheet metal, and which'requires no springs or tension devices in connection with its gripping elements; the latter parts being so constructed as to be easily and quickly manipulated when attaching or'detaching film or other sheet material therefrom, and the manipulation of which subjects the users fingers to no risk of injury or irritation, while nevertheless providing a positive sustaining support for the material engaged therewith.

The invention has for a further object to provide a novel construction and arrangement of combined film stop .and push-plate hinge support, adapted to so function in use that the attached end of the film or other suspended sheet is maintained spaced from the body of the clip, and is therefore prevented from adhering thereto so as to render its removal difficult as well as likelyto cause tearing or injury to the body of the film or sheet. Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from, the following detailed description of the same.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a face view of the novel suspension clip made according to and embodying the principles of the present invention; Fig.

2 is a vertical sectional view, taken on line 22 in Fig. 1'; Fig. 3 is a similar vertical sectional view, but showing the initial operation of attaching a film strip thereto; Fig. 1 is a similar view showing the completely attached relation of a film strip thereto; Fig. 5' is a similarview showing the method of disen 5 gaging the film strip therefrom; and Fig. 6 is a horizontal section, taken on line66 in said Fig. 5.

' Fig. 7 is a rear face elevation of the novel suspension clip of this invention; and Fig. 8shows perspective views of the parts making up the novel clip separated one from the other.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the 'hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Inasmuch as the novel construction of suspension clip is peculiarly adapted for suspending developed photographic film for drying, the herefollowing description will be made with reference to the use of the clip for suchpurpose, although it will be understood that by so doing it is not intended to intimate that the use of the clip is in any way limited to such purpose.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character 10 indicates the main body portion of the clip structure. Said main body 10 is preferably made of sheet metal, and is formed at its upper end to provide a portion doubled back on itself to furnish a hook-like member 11, bymeans of which the device may be removably engaged with a supporting bar or rod 12. It may be desirable to support a mum thereto. Said lugs 14L are provided with sharp or pointed extremities 15, and said lugs are preferably of arrow or spear head shape, to provide adjacent the juncture thereof with said main body a neck portion 16 of reduced width, which in turn provides keeper shoulders 17 adapted to prevent accidental displacement of an attached film therefrom. Struck out from the main body 10 at points intermediate its upper and lower extremities are combined stop and hinge means preferably in the form of a pair of combined stop lugs and hinge cars 18 which are bent outwardly from the face plane of said main body, preferably in forwardly and downwardly inclined relation to the latter. Said ears 18 are laterally spaced apart in aligned relation, and are provided adjacent tov their free extremities with perforations 19 so as to The reference character 21 indicates a presser plate preferably made of sheet metal, for pivotal connection with said main body so as to extend-across the lower portion of the latter where said film piercing and supporting lugs 14; are located. Integrally connected with the upper end of said presser plate are tongues for insertion through the perforations 19 of said ears 18, said tongues being thereupon bent around the pintle portions 20 to form hinge knuckles 22 rotatable on said latter portions, all whereby said presser-plate is pivotally coupled to said main body to swing toward and away from the front face thereof. t will be obvious that forms of pivotal or hinge connections to couple said presser plate with said main body, other than the specific form above described, may be employed, it being understood that the above described form of connection is shown and described merely as an illustration of a pivotal connection necessary to operatively interconnect the said parts. tiaid presser plate 21 depends from its pivotal connection so as to extend across the location of said film piercing and supportinglugs iii of the main body, and the same is provided with openings or cutaway portions corresponding to the location said film piercing and supporting lugs 14, and adapter, when the presser plate is pressed toward said main body, to pass over said lugs. 'lhe lowor free end of said presser plate 521 is turned or bent forwardly, as at 2st, and then upwardly to provide a combined finger piece and guard 25 outwardly spaced from the plate body, and adapted to shield the fingers of the user against contact with the points of the film piercing and supporting lugs when manipulating the clip to attach a film there'- to. if desired the upper extremity of said guard 25 may be inturned, as at 26, to abut the plate body, and thereby acting to prevent displacement of the guard from its operative outwardly spaced relation to said plate body.

In making use of the clip to suspend a wet film for drying, the operator swings outwardly the presser plate 2l to clear the extremities of the film piercing and supporting lugs 14, so that the end of the film strip may be inserted between the latter and the former and thrust upwardly until the extreme end of the film strip is stopped against the com bined stop and hinge means 18, the film strip being thus disposed at an angle to the face plane of the main body 10 and in the relation of a hypothenuse to the intermediate angle formed by the main body and lugs 14, the length of the portion of film thus lying between the stops 18 and the-extremities'of the lugs 14 being, greater than the distance in the face plane of said main body be tween the stops 18 and the juncture of the lugs 14. with the main body. This preliminary relation of the film to the clip is illustrated more especially in Fig. 3 of the drawings. After the preliminary insertion of the film strip between the lugs 1 1- and presser plate 21 as above described is accomplished, the operator presses inwardly upon the press er plate 21 to swing the lower end thereof toward the main body 10. This inward movement of the presser plate thrusts the film strip against and over the piercing and supporting lugs 1s to cause the latter to pierce the film strip while at the same time pressing said strip toward the main body 10 and back of the keeper shoulders 17 of said lugs. tiince the length of film strip above the lugs 14 is greater than the distance be tween the stops l8 and the bases of the piercing and supporting lugs 1d, the inward thrusting of the film strip causes the engaged portion thereof to bow or belly outwardly and away from the face of said main body,

indicated at B in Fig. 4, the outward spacing of the upper end of said presser plate by the oil setting ears 18 providing adequate space for the bowing, as will be evident. 'lhe ei'i'ect thus obtained is of very considerable advantage and importance in connection with the use of the clip to suspend wet photographic film for drying, since it prevents at hering contact of the wet film with the clip i'nain body. Such adhering contact of wet film with suspension devices has heretofore been a source of considerable annoy ance, not only because it made the removal of the dried film from the clip difiicult, but because when removing a film so adhering it frequently happened that valuable portions of the picture section of the film would be torn scratched or otherwise injured. The construction and functioning of my novel form of clip avoids such undesirable effects and assures easy removal of the dried film from the clip without risk of injury thereto. It will be understood that photographic films are provided with waste ends, that is portions which extend beyond the picture sections, which ends or portions are the parts of the films to be engaged by suspension clips. The arrangement and construction and spacing of the stops 18 relative to the piercing and supporting lugs let is such that the device automatically determines the proper insertion of the film strip so that only the waste end is pierced, and risk of perforating a picture section is eliminated.

It will be obvious that the presser plate guards the operators fingers, when manipulating the clip in attaching films thereto, in such manner that there is no necessity for the fingers to touch the sharp film piercing lugs, and consequently injury to or irritation of the fingers is avoided.

The film strips, when dried, may be quickly and easily removed from the clip. To accomplish this the operator merely effects a quick combined outward and downward pull on film strip, in the manner indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5. Such movement swings outward the presser plate 21 and at the same time forces the film past the keeper shoulders 17 and oil the lugs 14. Such movements are not impeded in any way, since the film cannot adhere to the main body, and consequently the only resistance to be overcome is that which is but slightly offered by the keeper shoulders 17. v

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention and have described the same in the above specification merely in preferred form and by way of example, but obviously many alterations and variations may be made therein and in its mode of application, which will still be comprised within its spirit. Generally speaking, I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to any specific form or embodiment except in so far as is specified in the herefollowing claims.

I claim r l. A suspension clip, comprising a main body having piercing means projecting outwardly from the face plane thereof, means spaced above said piercing means and also projecting outwardly from the face plane of said main bodyadapted to serve as a stop engageabie by material inserted in said clip for suspension, a presser plate hingedly con.- nected with said main body for disposition across said piercing means, said presser plate being cutaway to receive said piercing means, and a guard means on said presser plate outwardly off set and covering its cutaway portions. p

2. A suspension clip, comprising a main body having piercing means projecting outwardly from the face plane thereof, means spaced above said piercing means and also projecting outwardly from the face plane of said main body adapted to serve as a stop engageahle by material inserted in said clip for suspension, a presser plate pivotally conthe lower extremity of said presser plate being doubled back upon itself in outwardly spaced relation to the main presser plate body to pro vide a guard covering said cutaway portions, and means'for engaging said main body with a support.

8. A suspension clip, comprising a main body having means at its upper end for engaging the same with a support, a plurality of piercing members projecting outwardly from the lower end portion of said main body, combined stop lugs and hinge ears projecting outwardly from said main body and spaced abovesaid piercingmembers, a presser plate pivotally connected with said combined stop lugs and hinge ears so as to be spaced outwardly from said main body with its lower portion disposed across said piercing members, said presserplate having cutaway portions to receivesaid piercing members, and the lower extremity of said presser plate being doubled back and upwardly in outwardly spaced relation over said cutaway portions to provide a covering guard.

4. A suspension clip as defined in claim 3, in which said piercing members are of arrowhead like formation to provide keeper shoulders rearwardly of their sharp extremities.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of November, 1927.

JOSEPH H. MURPHY. 

